Love at First Fight
by scr1tno
Summary: Rodney and Jennifer get off to a rocky start
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**: Ok this is my first McKeller!

As usual all characters belong to MGM and not me - I wish!

No spoilers and I have no idea where is fits in the the time line - its just my drabble. Not beta read so all mistakes belong to me and I'm sorry!

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Chapter One – Hitting a Computer Screen is never a Good Idea!

Jennifer was furious. Normally a soft and gentle person, her staff had been caught off guard by her anger. Not much would get her riled but this was one of those triggers that had her so wound up that even her staff, who were the victims in this, where giving her a wide berth.

It had started that morning when one of her newest nurses Maria had gone MIA. Jennifer, knowing how difficult being on Atlantis could be during the first few weeks had gone after her and found the girl in a storage cupboard crying her eyes out. She clammed up when Jennifer asked her what was wrong. She left the girl to get over it and was glad to see her back on the ward again an hour later. Just after that there was a commotion from one of the cubicles and another one of her nurses exited the department rapidly. Jennifer stared after her and then headed down to their little coffee area where she knew someone would be having a break. Luckily it was Linda one of the more experienced nurses.

"Linda what has got into everyone today?" she asked her. Linda grinned.

"George Moore if he had his way." She told her. Jennifer looked at her in confusion.

"Sorry?" she asked.

"Let's just say he's feeling better." Linda supplied. Jennifer shook her head she really wasn't getting it.

Linda stood up to go back on duty.

"Why don't you go check on him? You'll see what I mean." She told her. Jennifer watched as she exited the door. What the hell? She grabbed a coffee and headed back to her office. It was nearly time for her rounds anyway and she decided to make Mr Moore her first stop. When she exited his cubicle she took a couple of deep breaths to steady herself. She got onto her internal intercom.

"All female staff to my office please." She called out.

They filed in one by one. Linda grinned at her again.

"Been to see Mr Moore by any chance?" she asked. Jennifer glared, not at Linda but in general.

"Ok how many of you have had the pleasure of Mr Moore today?" she asked. Pretty much most of the department put their hands up.

"And how many of you have had the same treatment that I have just witnessed?" she asked. Again most of the hands rose again. Horrible man.

Linda smirked.

"Any chance you could order an enema for him? I would gladly do the honours." This caused a ripple of laughter around the room. Jennifer managed a smile then.

"Ok only Linda is to deal with him. The rest of you keep away. Ok everyone back to work. Linda can I have a word?" she asked. Linda perched on the side of her desk and smiled down at her.

"Obnoxious little toad isn't he?" she smiled. Linda was in her forties and somewhat older than Jennifer. They were good friends.

"He's a walking sexual harassment law suit." Jennifer replied. "I'm not having my nurses treated like that. I'm going to talk to Colonel Sheppard about him." Linda nodded.

"You'd better because I am going off duty in two hours and I don't think anyone else will go near him!" she laughed.

"Are you ok with it?" Jennifer asked. She had been upset by him and she was the head of the department. Linda grinned again.

"I've got to give him his meds soon. I may just forget myself and not give them orally!" Jennifer managed a laugh at that. Good old Linda.

"Wish me luck!" Linda grinned again and headed out the door. Jennifer put a call through to Colonel Sheppard. He radioed her back.

"Sheppard to Dr Keller." Jennifer hit her com unit.

"Could I see you in the infirmary please?" she asked.

"Is everything ok?" he asked

"Yes in the way you mean. I need to see you about a personnel matter." She told him.

"I'll be there in 10." He told her. Jennifer crashed around the department for 10 minutes causing her staff to give her a wide berth.

John Sheppard knocked on Jennifer's door. She yelled "Come In." John entered and was slightly taken aback by the site of their usual amicable doctor walking nearly off the ground in fury. He smiled at her.

"What can I do for you Dr Keller?" he asked.

"We have a patient here who has been sexually harassing my staff. And before you say it, it's not harmless fun. It's way over the line, so far over the line in fact that the entire department, including myself is refusing to treat him." Jennifer paused for breath and John jumped in.

"Who is it?" he asked.

"Some guy named George Moore." She told him. John looked at her in sympathy.

"I hate to say it but if you've got a problem with him you are going to have to talk to the head of his department. He's not military so it's not my department." He told her. Jennifer lost it at that point and yelled at John.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S NOT YOUR DEPARTMENT? AREN'T YOU HEADING THE EXPIDITION WITH WOOLSEY AWAY?" John put his hand up in defence.

"Sorry you need to make a complaint to his head of department before I can act. It's protocol." He told her. Jennifer was breathing fast.

"WELL WHO IS HIS HEAD OF DEPARTMENT THEN?" she yelled again. John was trying to get her to calm down but realised that wasn't going to work in a hurry.

"I don't know. What's his job?" he asked. Jennifer quickly looked it up on the computer.

"Archaeology review, whatever that is?" she told him.

"That's Zelenka's department." John told her. "But he's off world at the moment so you will have to speak to Zelenka's boss." Jennifer looked at him.

"And that is?" she asked. John grinned and made a hasty exit for the door.

"Dr McKay." He answered and left in a hurry. He grinned to himself as he left. That was one conversation he would love to overhear. Jennifer Keller explaining to Rodney McKay that one of his department was sexually harassing her staff. That was going to be some conversation. He had the feeling that he probably hadn't heard the last of this.

Jennifer sat back down hard on her chair. It would have to be McKay's department wouldn't it? There were so many reasons why she didn't want to have this conversation with him it just wasn't funny. Linda stuck her head around the door.

"You still got a job?" she asked. Jennifer looked at her.

"Sorry?" she asked not getting it.

"Well you did just yell had the CO. I wondered if he'd fired you." She grinned at her. Jennifer frowned.

"I did, didn't I? Oh well he seemed to take it ok." She told her. Linda smiled at her.

"So who is his head of department then?" she asked. Jennifer shook her head.

"Would you believe Dr McKay?" she said. Linda did a full belly laugh then.

"Good luck with that one!" she told her. Jennifer grinned for a moment too, and then squared her shoulders.

"Wish me luck!" she said to Linda and Linda left laughing as she went.

Jennifer got onto the com unit again.

"Dr Keller to Dr McKay." She called. She waited a moment then got his terse reply.

"McKay." She heard.

"I need to see you in the infirmary." She told him.

"Why?" he said.

"I have a personnel matter I need to discuss with you." She told him.

"I'm too busy to deal with personnel, McKay out." Jennifer listened to the broken com link and frowned. She was just as busy as he was! Just because she was young they all treated her like she was the baby of the expedition. Well she wasn't having it.

"Dr Keller to Dr McKay." She called again more firmly this time.

"What?" she could tell he was already getting annoyed.

"I need to see you down here now. We have a major problem with one of your team and as head of department you have to deal with it." She told him.

"Not now I don't." He replied and signed off again. Jennifer was getting rather annoyed herself now and her earlier anger returned. She radioed out again making sure it went out as a general announcement rather than a private one.

"This is Dr Keller. I need to leave the Infirmary for a while if there is a medical emergency you can get me on com or in Dr McKay's office." She said.

John, who was back at his desk by then grinned to himself, "And so it starts." He said out loud to no one in particular.

Jennifer had to psyche herself up for this meeting and was helped by George Moore managing to annoy even Linda. She came out of her office as she Linda exited the guy's cubical. Linda glared at her.

"That's it! He's out of nurses now." She told Jennifer. Jennifer felt the anger build in her again and made her way down the corridor to McKay's lab. She found him hunched over a computer.

"Dr McKay. I need to see you in your office now." He didn't even look at her.

"I haven't got time for whatever it is." He ground out. Jennifer pulled herself up to her full height.

"THEN YOU HAD BETTER MAKE TIME AND NOW!" she yelled at him, causing him and several of the other scientists in the lab to jump. He whirled around to glare at her.

"I'm sorry?" he said looking at her as if he had just seen her for the first time.

"I said you had better make time and now." She told him holding his furious glare and matching it with one of her own. Rodney looked at her properly and took in the ridged frame and clenched fists. Whatever was eating the usually gentle doctor certainly had her wound up. He got up and waved her towards his office. Jennifer took a moment to get under control. No matter how she felt about him personally she couldn't let this drop. She was head of her department too.

She followed him into his office and closed the door behind her. He stood across from her and glared at her.

"What is all this about?" he asked.

"I have a member of your staff in the infirmary. He has behaved inappropriately and I am making a complaint about him to the head of his department." Rodney looked at her. He was no good at this sort of thing at the best of times, let alone when it was a certain blonde doctor standing opposite him.

"What's his name?" he asked.

"George Moore." She told him.

"I've never heard of him." He said unhelpfully. "What's his job?" he asked.

"Archaeology review." She told him. McKay glared at her.

"That's Zelenka's department not mine. I suggest you get your facts straight before you interrupt an extremely busy man. Now I am going back to work." He told her and went to sweep past her. Jennifer lost it for, well she wasn't actually sure how many times she had lost it so far but she lost it and yelled at his departing back.

"ZELENKA'S OFF-WORLD YOU ARROGANT IDIOT, SO HE'S YOUR DEPARTMENT TODAY." Rodney stood in shock and slowly turned to face her. Jennifer, to her consternation now found herself close to tears and exited rapidly leaving Rodney staring open mouthed behind her. She dashed back to her department and headed straight for the staff room. She gave into the tears that had threatened and sobbed into her hands. Linda, catching her face as she came back through the door headed on in after her. She patted her gently on the shoulder.

"I'm guessing it hasn't gone well with Dr McKay then?" she asked her. Jennifer nodded her head and retold the whole sorry story between sobs. Linda's eyes where wide

"You really called him an arrogant idiot?" she asked. Jennifer nodded miserably.

"That probably wasn't the best idea." Linda said. Jennifer looked at her.

"I don't think I've handled this too well." She told her. "I am going to have to go apologise to him now. That will be fun." Linda frowned at her.

"I think he should be the one to apologise to you if you ask me. You are just trying to do your job. He's the one who's not listening." She told her. Jennifer looked at her.

"I shouldn't have lost my temper though." She stated.

"Well perhaps not but I don't see he left you with much option." Jennifer took a deep breath.

"I'm going to wash my face and repair my make-up." She told Linda and headed off. Linda stood uncertainly for a moment then headed out. She spoke to one of the other nurses.

"I'm going out of the department for a while. I will be back. I think you are going to need me tonight. Don't let anyone near Moore ok?" the other nurse nodded and Linda headed out.

John looked up at the sound of a knock on his door. He saw Linda standing there and waved her in. She was one of the original Atlantis crew and had looked after him a fair few times. They were old friends. He smiled at her.

"What can I do for you?" he asked. Linda sat down in the chair in front of him.

"I feel like a school girl telling tales but I think you need to know what's going on." She told him. John cocked an eyebrow and waited for her to carry on.

Linda started at the beginning and ended with a recount of what Jennifer had told her about the encounter with Rodney. John grinned at her.

"I had a feeling this would go bad. Is that idiot still acting up?" he asked. Linda nodded.

"Even I don't want to deal with him now. He wasn't bothering me to start with but he's really pushed the line now. Just so you know he likes to tell you in graphic detail what he would like to do to you and he's getting way out of line now." John nodded.

"Well obviously I need to put a stop to that but I also need Rodney to listen to Keller, he can't treat her like that. I also need her to be the one to stand up to him. She's got to win this battle for her own sake. Thanks for putting me in the picture. You'd better head back and see if you can talk her into talking to Rodney again. And tell her not to apologise. That will make him ten times worse." Linda grinned and headed back.

She found Jennifer in her office staring into space. She looked up when Linda knocked on the door.

"Linda! Where did you get too?" she asked.

"I headed out for something to eat." She lied blithely. "I figured I am on until something can be done about Moore so I thought I'd better." Jennifer looked sharply at her but let it drop. She was too miserable to do anything else.

"You need to go talk to McKay again." Linda told her. Jennifer looked at her.

"I've got to apologise to him anyway so I might as well get it over and done with." She said resignedly. Linda shook her head.

"Don't you dare apologise! You have every right for him to hear you out and not brush you off. Your department is every bit as important as his and you are the same rank. He needs to apologise to you for not hearing you out over what is a very serious complaint. You owe that to your nurses who have had to put up with that idiot today. Little Maria is terrified. You need to go stand up for us." Jennifer looked at her. She sat up straighter in her chair.

"You know what Linda you're right! I won't be pushed around by him!" she stood up and headed out again. Linda grinned at her departing back then jumped when a voice spoke behind her.

"Well done Linda. Shall we go see what happens next?" It was a grinning John Sheppard.

Jennifer paused at the entrance to McKay's lab. Now she was actually here she was slightly more nervous. Then a picture of Maria sobbing came back to her and she walked in. McKay was sitting at his computer. He turned when he heard her footsteps behind him. He looked at her but didn't say anything.

Jennifer started.

"You have to come down to the infirmary and sort out George Moore. We refuse to treat him anymore." She told him firmly holding his stony gaze. He held her eyes for a moment and dropped his first.

"Shall we go through to my office?" he suggested. Jennifer nodded and turned and followed him.

She entered and he shut the door. He gestured for her to take a seat and sat down opposite her on the other side of the desk.

"What's he done?" he asked. And I thought that getting him to listen to me was going to be the hard part! Jennifer thought to herself. How was she supposed to explain this to McKay of all people?

"He's made inappropriate remarks to my nurses." She told him. Rodney, having no idea what she meant looked at her.

"What kind of inappropriate remarks?" he asked. Jennifer was beginning to wish she had never started this conversation. She could feel herself blushing.

"They were sexually inappropriate remarks." She told him. Rodney sat back and studied her for a moment.

"How do you know?" he asked. Jennifer looked at him in confusion. Surely he wasn't going to stick up for the man!

"Because my nurses have told me!" she glared at him, her temper rising again.

"I'm sure he didn't mean any harm by them." He said. At that point, Linda and Sheppard, who were listening outside the closed door, exchanged uneasy glances.

"I can assure you Dr McKay that whether he meant harm by them or not they were offensive and I will not tolerate that kind of behaviour in my department." She told him firmly. Rodney looked at her.

"Are you implying that I would in mine?" he threw back at her. Jennifer frowned in confusion.

"What...No I'm not implying that at all!" When did this become an attack on him? She wondered.

"Because if you are you are out of line yourself." Rodney told her. "And not for the first time today." He added. Jennifer looked at him in amazement. Where had that come from?

"Look I am not criticizing you or your department. I want you to come down to the infirmary, read the riot act to Moore and then take it to Sheppard so I can have him removed." She told him. He looked at her.

"Why would I do that?" he asked.

"Because you are the head of his department." Jennifer was close to losing it again and it wasn't going to be pretty.

"Not until I hear his side of the story. You could be making it up." He told her.

John looked at Linda. "Uh-oh." He said and got ready to go in.

Jennifer stood up and leaned over the desk.

"I can assure you Dr McKay, I have a whole department of witnesses who will back me up not to mention being told by him myself what he would like to do with me tied up and blind folded so I don't suggest you go there." She warned him. Rodney backed off slightly. He was momentarily distracted by the object of his fantasies talking on that subject to him but he soon recovered himself.

"With all due respect you are very young and could be very easily offended Dr Keller. I am sure this is just a storm in a tea cup which will be over and done with by tomorrow. Now I need to get back to the important work. You've taken up quite enough of my time for one day." He told her. Jennifer actually thought she was going to hit him, wipe that smug look right off of his face. Instead she did something really, really stupid. She thumped the next nearest thing to hand other than Dr McKay's face; she punched straight through a computer monitor. The screen shattered everywhere, causing Rodney to leap back from his chair. The pain hit Jennifer a moment after she realised what she had done and she looked at her hand. She caught site of Colonel Sheppard and Linda coming in on the run just as she passed out.

Sheppard got on the com. "Medical emergency in Physics lab." John put Jennifer in the recovery position and glanced at Linda. She had Jennifer's arm in the air and was trying to stop the bleeding. She looked worriedly at John.

"She's hit an artery." She told him. John glanced over to Rodney.

"Rodney come and keep an eye on her vitals." He said. Rodney didn't move but was staring at the scene in front of him in horror. As well he might, thought John. He started this. "McKay!" he yelled at him. Rodney came out of it and walked over to Jennifer. She had gone pale now. He felt for her pulse. It was weak but it was still there.

Beckett came in on the run with the medical team close behind him.

"What's the idiot done now?" he asked assuming it was McKay and stopping short when he saw it was Keller on the ground.

"Jennifer." He said. John looked up at him.

"Beckett!" he yelled and Dr Beckett came out of it and got to work. They had her stabilised then transferred her onto the gurney and headed out at the run. Linda went with them leaving Sheppard facing McKay. Colonel Sheppard decided not to let on he was outside the door the whole time and glared at McKay.

"What the hell happened?" he yelled at him.

"I don't know!" he yelled back

"Rodney, Dr Keller doesn't normally go around smashing computer screens. What did you do to her?" he asked.

"Nothing!" he defended himself.

Sheppard glared at him. "Rodney...." It was drawn out in a warning.

"I don't know. We were arguing about some jerk she wanted me to go deal with then she started shouting and hit the computer screen." He told him. Sheppard glared at him some more.

"And why were you arguing with her and not sorting out the jerk?" he asked him.

Rodney looked at him.

"I don't know." He said. Sheppard looked at him properly. He was pale and sweating. If he wasn't careful he was about to have another medical emergency on his hands.

"Rodney sit down." He told him. Rodney looked at him distractedly.

"No I want to go see if she's ok." He told him. John looked at him again.

"Rodney just sit down for a moment ok?" he asked more gently.

Rodney sat and looked in horror at John.

"What just happened?" he asked him. John shook his head.

"Rodney you just annoyed our Doctor enough for her to hit a computer. I think you would remember that." He said to him. Rodney shook his head.

"Why did I annoy her?" he asked. John totally not following this conversation kept at it.

"I haven't got the faintest idea? Because you are a jerk?" he suggested.

Rodney shook his head. John was beginning to think Rodney was now loosing it as well.

"Because you don't like doctors and Dr Keller is no exception?" he suggested. Rodney just looked at John.

"I love her." He told him. Then realised what he had said and just sat there looking at John. Sheppard sat back in the chair. He was at a loss as to what to say.

"Funny way of showing it!" he told him. Rodney shook his head.

"I can't show it. She wouldn't look twice at me." He said. At this John had a flash of incite and smiled at him.

"So you where using this as an excuse to make yourself dislike her?" he asked him. Rodney looked at him again.

"I don't know. I guess so." John shook his head.

"Rodney you're an idiot." He told him. "Come on we'd better go see how she is and get rid of the jerk that started all this." John had a fleeting thought that if he'd done that in the first place this morning he would have saved himself a lot of trouble! Rodney nodded and they headed out.

Jennifer came round to find Dr Beckett stitching her arm and Linda carefully removing pieces of glass. She looked up and saw the blood transfusion. That didn't look good. Dr Beckett caught the movement and moved so he could smile down at her.

"Hello love. You gave me a bit of a fright there but you're going to be fine." He told her. She looked up into his calm brown eyes and to her consternation she started crying. Dr Beckett nodded for Linda to go and pulled his stool closer to her.

"You've had a bit of a day haven't you love?" he asked her. She nodded miserably. She tried to sit up and Beckett helped her, passing her a tissue. He quickly finished the stitching and bandaged her arm. He patted her gently on the shoulder.

"You want to talk about it?" he asked her. She smiled through her tears.

"Where on earth would I start?" She said.

"I always found the beginning a good place." Dr Beckett replied.

Jennifer hesitantly told him about her day. When she got to the part where she had hit the computer screen she started crying again. Dr Beckett was reading between the lines.

"How long have you been in love with our cantankerous Dr McKay?" he asked. The question caught Jennifer off-guard.

"From about two weeks after I got here. But he doesn't even know I exist." She said sadly.

John, who was standing by the open door as Jennifer said this looked at a shocked Rodney. "Well he does now." He said quietly. Rodney, having heard the question and declaration turned tail and headed back out the door. Luckily Jennifer hadn't seen him. John watched his departing back. This day was going on for far too long! He turned his attention to George Moore and informed him that he was removing him from Atlantis and that he wouldn't have that type of behaviour from anyone under his command. He arranged for him to be transferred to the Daedalus sick bay under the supervision of two extremely burly male SO's who had been briefed to give him a very hard time. He then went to wait for Dr Beckett.

Jennifer was asleep. Dr Beckett had given her a sedative and was looking over the quiet night time ward. Everyone was settled and he turned the lights down low and, after checking in on Jennifer again, he headed back to the office. He was surprised to find Colonel Sheppard sitting with his feet up on the desk waiting for him. He walked in and closed the door behind him.

"What can I do for you?" he asked him. He walked over and sat on the chair opposite Sheppard.

"Fancy playing cupid?" he asked. Beckett looked at him.

"Sorry?" he asked.

"Well I have had a very interesting conversation with our 'cantankerous' Dr McKay." He said pointedly. Beckett looked at him in confusion for a moment then the memory came back to him.

"You overheard that conversation?" he asked.

"Yep, so did Rodney." He informed him.

"Poor Jennifer! She is going to be mortified when she finds out." Dr Beckett said sympathetically.

"Not necessarily. You see I had a very similar conversation with Rodney about five minutes before then." He told him. Beckett smiled.

"You did? What did he say?" he asked.

"He told me he loved Keller." He informed him. Beckett grinned then. He liked nothing more than a good love story. John grinned back.

"The question is what we are going to do about it?" he asked. Beckett looked thoughtful for a moment.

"I'd start by giving Rodney some tips on a seduction routine, flowers, chocolates etc. Tell him to be nice and see where it goes from there. Jennifer's going to be here for another day but I should be able to release her tomorrow night. Let's see if we can't get Rodney to see her back to her quarters and get her settled." John smiled.

"Well that's a plan. I'll go find Rodney." He said. He got up and after giving the doctor another smile he headed out the door.

John found Rodney in his office looking at the smashed computer screen. Keller's blood was still all over the place.

"Rodney. Let's call for housekeeping to come clear this mess up and come with me for a beer." He told him. Rodney nodded and they headed out, John putting the call through on the com. They swung by Sheppard's quarters for the beer then headed down to one of the piers. They settled themselves and Sheppard handed Rodney a beer.

"So what are you going to do about Keller then?" he asked him. Rodney looked at him.

"Somehow after today I don't think she's going to feel the same way do you?" Rodney asked.

John looked sternly at him.

"Of course she does. You don't just fall out of love with someone, no matter how stupid they are." He told him.

"I don't know what to do." Rodney said. John nodded.

"Mind having some advice from someone who has a little experience with women?" he asked him.

Rodney looked questioningly at him.

"You are going to have to win her back. That means you are going to have to do the chasing. You need to seduce her." Rodney frowned.

"And how am I supposed to do that? This is me we are talking about. I'm not exactly used to this." He asked. John grinned.

"Rodney I know for a fact you have had girlfriends while you have been here." He told him. Rodney shook his head.

"Not really. No one I cared about anyway. That was easy as they seemed to like me for being me. And none of them were in Jennifer's league." He stated.

"Boy have you got it bad!" John commented. "Well first things first. You have to be nice to her for a start. Apologise for being a jerk today and take her some flowers. Then leave it at that for a while and go back later with some chocolates for her. Tell her a funny story, make her laugh. Tell her she's looking better and you like her hair or something. Beckett said she will be getting out of there tomorrow night. Escort her out. Hold her bags for her. Arrange to have a meal ready for her when she gets back to her quarters. Make sure she has everything she needs. She will only have the use of one hand for a while so anything that requires two hands could be tricky. Leave with the promise you will be back with breakfast in the morning. Radio before she goes to sleep just to check she is ok. Make her laugh again if you can. That way she will go to sleep thinking happy thoughts of you." John finished. Rodney looked at him with admiration.

"No wonder you never have any problems with girls." He commented.

John grinned. "I have no trouble getting the girl. It's keeping her I have a problem with." Rodney managed a small smile at that. John got up.

"Come on it's time to get to bed. You've got a busy day ahead of you tomorrow." John told him.

TBC

**A/N**: Let me know what you think! Chapter 2 already written and ready to go!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N** Thanks for reading! Hope you like chapter 2. Chapter 3 is taking on a darker side a the moment but I am working on it!

As usual MGM own everything

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Chapter 2 – The Seduction of Jennifer Keller.

Jennifer woke the next morning then realised where she was. She groaned and looked at her arm. They had taken the drip out over night and she didn't feel as light headed any more. Her arm hurt though. She sat up in bed and looked around. She was in one of the private side rooms. Her door was open and she could see her office from where she was sitting. She put her legs over the side of the bed and tried to stand. She was pleased to see they were able to take her weight and stood up for a moment. She swayed slightly but everything soon righted it's self. She was dressed in medical pyjamas and she grabbed her cardigan which someone had left laying across the foot of her bed. She carefully put it over her hurt arm first then headed out. She looked in her office and was disappointed to find Carson wasn't there. She then went to the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. She was still pale. She made her way to the staff room to grab the bag she left there in case of an overnight stay with a patient. She opened the door to find Linda drinking coffee. Linda looked up and smiled at her.

"Hi honey. You feeling better?" she asked her. Jennifer nodded.

"I'm a little light headed but other than my arm hurts like crazy, I'm ok." Linda nodded.

"I'll ask for some pain meds for you." Linda told her. Jennifer grinned ruefully.

"Any chance you can make it the really good stuff – I wouldn't mind being out of it so I don't remember what a mess I got myself into yesterday!" she told her. Linda grinned.

"Sorry honey. It will be the normal type! Now you need to get back to bed." Linda told her. Jennifer nodded.

"I'm just going to get cleaned up first. I look a mess." She said. Linda nodded.

"Ok but back to bed in 10?" Jennifer smiled at her and left.

She went back to the bathroom and managed to wash her face and clean her teeth. After that she tried to brush her hair which wasn't easy considering she now had to do it with her left hand. She managed to get it under control and headed back to bed. Just a little time out of bed had taken it out of her and she was grateful to climb back in. She settled back against the pillows and closed her eyes. She was woken a little later by the arrival of Carson. He smiled at her when he saw she was awake.

"Hello love. How are you feeling?" he asked her. She smiled at him.

"Tired and embarrassed but otherwise I am ok. My arm hurts." She told him. Carson nodded.

"It will do love you hit an artery. It was quite a mess. You have some deep stitches and you have a couple where we had to remove some glass. You did a good job on it. I will write you up for some pain meds and we will need to check the wound later. But for now I just want you to rest and if everything goes well you should be out of here tonight." Jennifer nodded.

"Did you give me a transfusion?" she asked. Carson nodded.

"We had too. You had lost a lot of blood." Jennifer nodded.

"I don't really remember much about it." She told him. Carson smiled sympathetically.

"You gave me a bit of a fright for a while but you pulled through quickly. Now take these." He handed her a couple of tablets. "And try to get some more sleep. It's still early. We will wake you for breakfast." Jennifer nodded, took the meds and was back asleep before Carson had got out of the door.

Carson was filling in paperwork later when Rodney nervously entered the infirmary. He smiled when he saw his old friend. Rodney was balancing a breakfast tray and a bunch of flowers. He came out to meet him.

"Rodney." He said. Rodney looked at him and managed a small smile. He looked like he was going to the torture chamber rather than visiting the girl he loved.

"How's Dr Keller?" Rodney asked.

"She's asleep at the moment. She's had a good night but her arm is still rather sore." Carson filled him in. Rodney looked disappointed at the news that Jennifer was still asleep. Carson smiled at him.

"You can take the tray in. You can sit with her until she wakes if you like but I would like for her to sleep for a little longer if she can." Rodney nodded.

Jennifer was dreaming. She dreamt that something was crushing her arm. She was trying to get away from it but it wouldn't let go. She jerked herself awake and was instantly aware of someone else in the room. Her eyes opened in surprise when she saw who it was.

"Hi." Rodney said.

"Hi." She replied.

"It looked like you where having a bad dream." He told her. Jennifer was beginning to wonder if she was still dreaming but the pain that shot through her arm as she tried to move it made her realise she was indeed awake and Rodney McKay was sitting at her bedside. She looked at him in wonder for a moment. She tried to move to sit up and cried out when she put too much weight on her hurt arm.

"Ow!" she said through gritted teeth. Rodney was immediately on his feet and put an arm around her to help her up. Jennifer felt an electric shock run through her at just this simple contact and took a deep breath. She smiled at him.

"Thank you." She said. He smiled an easy smile at her and moved to put the table over her bed with breakfast on it. She looked at it. Just at the moment she didn't have much of an appetite but felt that had more to do with the closeness of Rodney than the arm. She looked at him. He smiled.

"I wanted to apologise for being such a jerk yesterday. No excuses. I was a complete idiot and I am sorry." He said to her. Jennifer looked at him in amazement, speechless for a moment.

"Thank you." She managed. All her power of speech seemed to have left her! Rodney stood and smiled down at her.

"I've bought you some flowers too. Linda has taken them to find a vase. You eat your breakfast and I will see you a bit later ok?" He held her gaze for a moment and Jennifer felt her body react in a way it should have really been incapable of given the circumstances. She nodded her head and Rodney left.

Jennifer gazed at the spot in the doorway immobile for a moment. Linda walked through with the 'bunch of flowers' they were huge. Linda grinned.

"I guess he was really sorry." She commented. Jennifer just looked at them in amazement. Linda laughed.

"Hello? Anyone home?" she asked. Jennifer burst out laughing.

"Sorry but the most surreal thing that has just happened to me." She told her. Linda grinned at her.

"The great Dr McKay apologising? Yep that's one for the history books." She agreed. Jennifer shook her head in disbelief.

"Please tell me I am awake and not dreaming." She pleaded with Linda.

Linda looked at her curiously for a moment.

"Yes, you're awake honey, that really did happen." Jennifer relaxed back against the pillows and smiled.

"Wow." She said. Linda studied her friend. Ok so that was the way the wind blew. That explained a fair few things, although she couldn't see what Jennifer saw in him, she noticed her bright eyes and flushed face. Oh the poor girl! Rodney McKay of all people! Linda smiled a motherly smile at her.

"You going to eat some of that breakfast?" she asked. "Dr McKay brought it up with him from the mess hall. He must have had it made up for you." Jennifer studied the tray in front of her. Yep it definitely wasn't the standard issue medical one! Jennifer sat up at bit more and tucked in. Not easy with her right hand out of action. She managed some toast and some of the cereal. Linda nodded with approval when she came back.

"Well done. You need to keep your strength up." She took the tray leaving Jennifer to her own thoughts for a while. Jennifer relived the visit and couldn't through the memory of the direct look Rodney had given her before he had left. What was going on? She didn't have much time to think about it.

Linda returned to do her obs. Her blood pressure was a little high and she looked at Linda. Linda grinned.

"Someone affecting your blood pressure?" she asked her. Jennifer blushed and Linda went away laughing. Jennifer told herself to stop it. He was probably just feeling really guilty about what happened to her. She mustn't get her hopes up.

Carson put in appearance a little later.

"I need to check that wound." He told her. Jennifer nodded and Carson undid the bandage, smiling gently at her.

"Is it still sore?" he asked her. Jennifer bit her lip and nodded. He took the dressing off and looked at his handiwork. She was going to have a scar. Not a big one but it would scar. Jennifer looked at it as well.

"Damn!" she commented. Carson laughed.

"My stitching isn't that bad is it?" he asked. Jennifer laughed.

"No! I mean I really did make a mess of my arm!" she told him. Carson looked serious then.

"Yes you did. You can't go around punching computer screens." He told her. "Well it looks infection free but I am going to give you an antibiotic jab just to be on the safe side." Jennifer looked at him.

"I don't think it needs it." She told him. Carson raised an eyebrow.

"I know doctors make the worst patients but no arguing with me!" He told her. Jennifer looked at him.

"I don't like needles." She told him. Carson laughed at that.

"You're in the wrong profession then!" He told her. Jennifer managed a small smile.

"I don't mind giving injections, its receiving them I'm not too keen on." She told him. Carson sat back and looked at her holding her gaze.

"You have never had an injection administered by me. You won't feel a thing." He told her. He changed the dressing and bandaged the arm back up. Jennifer watched him work. He was such a compassionate sole. He really was the best Doctor she had ever worked with. He smiled at her when he had finished. "I will be back in a moment." He told her.

Jennifer seriously considered doing a runner for a moment. She really did hate injections that much. She was interrupted out of it by a soft knock at the door. She looked up to find Rodney standing there. She smiled at him. He walked in.

"How you doing?" he asked.

"Ok thank you." She replied. Her power of speech had seemed to have left her again. Rodney, ignoring the fact that she seemed incapable of talking at the moment sat down next to the bed and handed her a box of chocolates, which also happened to be her favourites.

"Oh Dr McKay thank you, they are my favourites!" She smiled at him. It was Rodney who was incapable of speech for a moment but soon recovered himself and cocked one eyebrow and smiled at her. They were interrupted then by Carson coming back. He smiled when he saw Rodney. That could be very lucky timing on Rodney's part.

"Hello Rodney. I've got to give Doctor Keller here an injection and she's not too keen on needles." He told him. Jennifer debated killing Carson for a moment but eyed the needle in his hand instead with something close to terror on her face. Rodney put his hand on her arm and called her attention back to him.

"I was never that keen on needles but as I am so accident prone I have got used to them over the years." He told her. He held her gaze firmly with his own. Jennifer was caught in his eyes not able to look away. The spell was broken by Carson stepping back.

"There you go, all over now." He told her. She looked at him in confusion.

"I didn't feel a thing!" she said to him. He grinned gently and left them to it. He had a feeling that her lack of feeling had more to do with Rodney than him!

After Carson left Rodney leaned back in the chair and smiled at her again.

"Doctor Beckett tells me you should be getting out of here later on." He told her.

"Yes hopefully. My arm is doing fine so I should get to sleep in my own bed tonight." As soon as she said it she blushed. The last thing she wanted to be talking about with Rodney was beds! She had a sudden image fly through her head about what she would like to do with him in a bed and flushed even more.

Rodney eyed her discomfort with interest. He had a fair idea what had just flashed through her mind and that gave him the confidence he needed. He suddenly felt in control of what was going on and stepped everything up a notch. Jennifer was looking at the bed clothes trying to get back some composure. Rodney moved, leaning in slightly.

"I was hoping you would let me join you for lunch?" he asked hopefully. "I will bring a couple of trays up later if that's ok?" Jennifer looked at him.

"Dr McKay you don't have to do that. I accept your apology. This was my fault. I shouldn't have hit that screen." She told him. She had to know if this was just his way of apologising to her. Rodney held her gaze.

"This has nothing to do with apologising. I want to spend time with you. And call me Rodney." He told her. Jennifer held his gaze back, almost hypnotised by him. He smiled gently at her and got up.

"I'll see you at lunch time Dr Keller." He said to her. Jennifer just managed to whisper out.

"Jennifer." Rodney smiled holding her gaze again.

"Jennifer." He repeated and turned and left leaving her stunned in his wake. What on earth? What did that mean? Jennifer was thrown into total confusion. What was going on? Linda reappeared to check her obs again. Her eyebrows shot up when she caught sight of Jennifer's blood pressure. She turned at looked at her.

"I think I'd better come back and double check that reading." She told her. "And next time I'd better catch you before Dr McKay arrives." She grinned with a twinkle in her eye. Jennifer looked at her.

"Oh Linda, I don't know what's going on! One minute we are screaming at each other, the next he his acting like prince charming!" she looked at her friend. Linda smiled gently and pulled up a chair.

"Do I take it you rather like our formidable Dr McKay?" she asked her directly. Jennifer blushed and nodded. Linda smiled and shook her head.

"You poor kid, you could have found someone easier than that to fall in love with!" she told her.

"I'm not sure you get a lot of choice in the matter." Jennifer told her. Linda grinned.

"No you're right there. So what's next?" she asked her. Jennifer looked at her.

"I don't know. He's coming back with lunch." She said. She looked at Linda. "Could you help me wash my hair? I'm a complete mess!" she told her. Linda laughed again.

"Ok come on. Let's get you presentable." She agreed. Jennifer then had a busy rest of the morning while Linda helped her get cleaned up and dried and brushed her hair for her. Jennifer studied the results in the mirror. Her hair looked much better and she certainly wasn't pale now – just the opposite in fact! It was getting on for half eleven by then and Jennifer was feeling tired. Linda looked at her.

"No matter what's going on I don't want you to have a relapse. You need to get some rest now or you won't be out of here tonight." She told her. Jennifer nodded and curled up in bed to dream of Rodney as it turned out. She woke out of the dream about him to find him sitting next to her eating his food. He smiled when he saw she was awake and she hoped she hadn't talked in her sleep! He put down his tray and walked over to her.

"Good sleep?" he asked her. She nodded. He helped her sit up again, and again just his touch was sending electric shocks through her. He noticed this time but didn't react. He was busy getting his own reaction under control. He pushed the table over to her and uncovered the tray. As luck would have it, it was some kind of meat today. Jennifer looked at it, then at Rodney. He frowned.

"Don't you like it?" he asked. She smiled at him.

"Yes I do but cutting it up is going to be a bit of problem." She told him. He grinned at her and picked up her knife and fork and cut everything up into bit sized pieces. He sat back down with his own tray and smiled over to her. She picked up the fork and did her best to eat. Not helped by the close proximity of Rodney. He started to fill her in on his morning.

"I had great fun explaining to the tech crew as to why I needed a new monitor for my computer." He told her. "The best part was that they are so used to me breaking things that they didn't believe me when I told them it wasn't my fault this time!" Jennifer laughed.

"I'm sorry Rodney." Jennifer said looking at him beneath her fringe. He smiled over to her.

"Don't worry about it. I don't give a damn what they think about me." He told her. He then filled her in on what was going on with the rest of the city making her laugh a couple of times more. She managed most of her dinner then had a go at opening her pudding. Rodney had finished his by then. He got up and came over.

"Let me." He said brushing her hand as took the cup from her. She visibly reacted to his touch this time and he caught her eyes holding them in his intense gaze again. For one heart stopping moment she thought he was going to kiss her but he smiled gently and returned his attention to opening the yoghurt. Jennifer soon found that eating yoghurt with her left hand wasn't going to work so she gave up. Rodney looked at her in concern.

"Do you want me to help you with that?" Jennifer looked at him. The thought of Rodney trying to spoon feed her yoghurt was doing things to her that meant she didn't have a hope of eating.

"Thank you but I'm full now anyway." She told him. He smiled at her.

"Carson tells me that he will be releasing you around five as long as you rest this afternoon. Why don't I take these out and leave you to get some sleep?" he said to her. She looked momentarily disappointed and Rodney held her gaze again.

"I will be back at five to help you back to your quarters." He told her. She looked back caught in his eyes again. She smiled and Rodney headed out with both the trays. Jennifer lay back against the pillows. Wow. Her life had certainly taken a different direction! She felt herself getting sleepy and closed her eyes.

She was woken sometime later by Linda checking her obs again and was shortly followed by Carson.

"Well I am happy for you to go. You're doing fine. I need to see you back here tomorrow for a check-up on that arm but otherwise just make sure you get lots of rest, keep up the pain meds and take the antibiotics ok?" he said to her. She nodded and he left her to get dressed. Luckily she kept some spare clothes in her overnight bag just in case she was up all night with a patient. She got out the jeans and t-shirt and Linda came back.

"Would you like some help?" she asked her. Jennifer nodded and between them they managed to get Jennifer dressed. It was getting on for five and Jennifer was beginning to get butterflies in her stomach at the thought that Rodney would be there soon. She managed to pack her bag and Linda came back with a sling and fitted it for Jennifer.

"You will need to keep that on for a couple of days to make sure those stitches hold." Linda told her. Jennifer grinned and Linda laughed.

"Sorry it's habit, fit the sling tell the patient why!" she told her. They heard a knock at the door and Jennifer looked up to see Rodney standing there. He smiled at her.

"Ready to go?" he asked. Jennifer nodded and Linda gave her a quick hug and whispered in her ear.

"Good luck!" With that she was out the door. Rodney came across and helped her down from the bed. He then swung her bag up onto his shoulder.

"Have you got everything?" he asked. Jennifer did a quick check around the room.

"Yes." She said.

Rodney smiled at her.

"Ok let's get you out of here then." Rodney stepped beside her and keeping a hand on the small of her back guided her out of the door. He kept the conversation light on the way back. They got some curious stares from people they past but neither really noticed. Jennifer was trying to keep her body under control from the heat that Rodney's hand was causing her on the small of her back. John Sheppard caught sight of them from a distance and smiled to himself. He walked away and left them to it. Jennifer was having trouble trying to work out what she was going to do when they got back to her quarters. She wanted to invite him in but was having an overwhelming attack of shyness. Rodney saved her from making that decision. When they got there he waved his hand on the door sensor and guided her through the door. Jennifer stood uncertainly looking around her quarters. At least they were tidy! She thought to herself. Rodney swung the bag down off of his shoulder onto a chair and turned to look at her.

"I'm going to go down and get us some dinner. I leave you to settle back in." Jennifer nodded. She watched him go and sank into the nearest chair. She was struggling to get her breathing under control. She had never been affected so deeply by another person and this was breath taking. She went to the bathroom and checked her appearance again. She was still flushed and her hair was behaving. She went back out into her room and settled down to wait for Rodney to come back.

Rodney returned with the trays and laid them out on the table. He cut hers up without a second thought and bought a chair over to the table for her. She sat down and looked at the food. This time her appetite had deserted her rather than her power of speech. She picked at the food. Rodney looked at her worriedly.

"Are you feeling ill again?" he asked her. She smiled at him.

"No a little tired I think." She told him. He nodded and quickly finished up his food and some of hers too. She grinned to herself. He obviously wasn't affected in the same way as she was. He caught her look and called her on it.

"What?" he asked with a grin.

"I was just thinking what a good appetite you have." She told him. He smiled.

"You know I have to eat." He said to her. She nodded. He was Hyperglycaemic and had to eat regularly. When he had finished he looked around her quarters.

"Is there anything you need a hand with?" he asked, she grinned at his accidental pun and looked around herself.

"Could you loosen the top on the coffee jar for me?" she asked. She had a feeling that opening that with one hand would be fun and she was a coffee addict. Rodney nodded and walked over to her little kitchen area. He also took the kettle and made sure it was full of water. He smiled over to her.

"Anything else?" he asked. Jennifer couldn't think of anything for a moment and shook her head. He then produced a DVD from his jacket pocket.

"I wondered if you would like to watch a movie?" he asked her. She looked at it and smiled. It was the movie she had missed at the last movie night.

"Yes please. I wanted to watch it but was with a patient and couldn't get through in time." She told him. He nodded and set up her laptop on the coffee table across from the sofa while Jennifer put everything away from her bag. She then stood frozen to the spot when Rodney spoke to her again.

"I need your password to get into the desktop." He told her. Damn! She thought to herself. She turned slowly trying to be as casual as she could.

"It's Jennifer23568." She told him. She could see his lightening brain working as he typed it in. He looked at her.

"That's my birthday." He told her. Jennifer tried to look casual.

"Is it?" she asked. He smiled at her.

"That's probably not the safest password to use." He told her. Jennifer let a breath out she didn't know she was holding.

"I just used some random numbers." She told him. "I'm never any good at remembering passwords so I kept it simple." Rodney studied her hard for a moment something belatedly dawning on him but didn't say anything. He got back to loading the DVD and called to her.

"It's ready to go." He said. Jennifer sat down next to him, wrapping her bad arm in front of her. The sofa wasn't big enough for her to sit too far away from him. Rodney relaxed back and crossed one foot over the knee of his other leg and casually stretched out an arm behind her on the back of the sofa. Jennifer was trying hard to concentrate on the film but kept stealing glances at him from under her fringe. Rodney admittedly seemed to be engrossed in the film. Jennifer relaxed a little more and gradually she was leaning on his arm. Rodney shifted position slightly and moved a little closer to her. Jennifer could feel herself getting sleepy. With all the pain of her arm and the heightened state of sexual awareness she had been in was taking its toll. She felt her eye's drifting shut. Rodney noticed her breathing change and glanced down at her. She was asleep and he adjusted his position so she was resting her head on his shoulder. He could smell her shampoo and was having a physical reaction to having her in such close proximity. He gently stroked her face to wake her. She opened her eyes and he smiled softly at her.

"I think it's time for you to get to bed." He told her. Jennifer nodded sleepily. Rodney looked uncertain for a moment.

"Do you need a hand?" he asked her. She shook her head.

"I should be ok now." She told him. He nodded and stood up helping her up as he did so. He walked over to her bedside table and put the radio link unit there.

"If you need anything during the night call me ok?" he said to her. She nodded and he turned to walk to the door. She followed him and he stood just in front of the closed door. She spoke softly.

"Thank you for today Rodney." She said to him, looking straight into his eyes. He held her gaze and smiled back.

"I'll see you tomorrow." He said to her then waved his hand and exited out of the door. Jennifer turned and looked around the room. Did today really happen? She got herself ready for bed then realised she had a major problem.

John had been keeping a look out for Rodney from his quarters and grinned when he saw the other guy. Rodney had rounded the corner out of sight of Jennifer's door and was now doubled over taking deep breaths. John walked over to him and clapped him on the back.

"You ok there buddy?" he asked him. Rodney shot him a look from his bent over position. John grinned at his friend's obvious discomfort. Rodney managed to straighten up. He looked at John.

"Well?" John asked impatiently.

"Well what?" was the unhelpful reply.

"What happened? Did she throw you out? Kiss you what?" he asked. Rodney shook his head. John seeing his friend still wasn't capable of speech guided him down the corridor and back to his quarters. He grabbed a beer out of the fridge and handed him one. Rodney sank gratefully into a chair and gulped the beer down. John laughed at him.

"The strain of being nice all day got too much for you?" he asked gently teasing him. Rodney glared at him.

"No but the strain of having Jennifer sleeping on my shoulder for the last hour has!" he retorted. John getting it raised his eyebrows.

"Oh!" he said knowingly. "So how did it go?" he asked.

"Well I think." He replied. John looked at him.

"I am seeing her tomorrow." Rodney filled in for him. John grinned.

"I will try to keep you off duty for as much as I can." John told him. Rodney grinned.

"Thanks." Rodney finished his beer and got up.

"I'm heading to bed." He informed John and excited leaving a grinning John behind him. John then wondered down to the infirmary to fill Carson in.

Jennifer was standing in her quarters not sure as to what to do now. There was no way she was going to sleep without her pain medication and she couldn't get the lid off with one hand. She opened the door in the hope that someone would be passing but no one was. She sighed in exasperation and headed towards the radio link. Then everything went black.

TBC

**A/N** Let me know what you think. Chapter 3 is a w.i.p so it may take me a couple of days!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:- Thanks for reading and to the reviewers. **

**Another HUGE thank you to DaniWilder for her Beta, suggestions and encouragement - You're the best! (all mistakes are mine!)**

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The searing pain in the back of Jennifer's head when she opened her eyes was the first indication that she was in trouble. The second one was that the ceiling of her room was above her. There were a few questions running through her mind just then. The main ones being; _why am I laying on the floor of my room and how did I get here? _Moving was not an option for the moment as the room spun as soon as Jennifer tried to sit up followed by a wave of nausea. _Okay so it would seem I have a concussion so I guess I must have hit my head on something, the question is what and how did I do it? _Jennifer's attention was caught by the pill bottle laying a few feet away from her. _That's right I was going to call Rodney to come and open that bottle for me. I must remember to make sure anyone without the use of a hand is given an easier bottle to open, not that it helps me right now. I need to move and I need to get some help quickly. The ear wing is on the table by the bed but that requires me to sit up and I don't think I can. It might have helped if I had landed a bit closer to it. _The thoughts running through Jennifer's head were not helping her any. _Time to get practical here, if I can just get closer to the bed maybe I can lean on that and at least I can sit up. _

Taking a couple of deep breaths Jennifer managed to struggle into a sitting position, not easy as the waves of nausea were nearly overwhelming but finally she was leaning against the bed. The ear wing was still out of reach but at least she could see it now. _Of course it had to be on the side of my injured arm. Well just sitting here isn't going to help._ Cautiously Jennifer removed her arm from the sling; the bandage was stained with blood. "Oh good I have burst the stitches too. Can this get any worse? Well yes it can because now I am talking to myself as well." She said. "The best thing I can do now is get a message to the infirmary and the only way I am going to do that is if I can get to that ear wing." The room spun again but she managed to cover the distance to the table by using the bed for support and shuffling sideways. After she managed to grab the ear wing she paused before she radioed as the room was spinning again, but finally she was able to make the call.

"Keller to the infirmary," she called. Carson came back to her.

"Jennifer what's wrong?" he asked her. She sounded distant and panicked over the comlink.

"I need help, my quarters."

Carson was sitting in his office chatting to John when the call came in and he gave John a worried look.

"Okay love I'll be right there." He grabbed a medical kit and headed out with John on the run.

Now that help was on its way Jennifer relaxed back against the bed and closed her eyes. The door bleeped but there was no way she could get it. She knew Carson would call for an override so that was not going to be a problem. It took a few minutes for them to get into her but finally the door opened and Carson, John and Rodney rushed into the room. Carson went to her first, the other two hanging back. His eyes were checking her over even before he crouched down next to her.

"Where does it hurt?" he asked her, holding her gaze firmly in his own.

Jennifer took a deep breath.

"My head, I must have tripped and fell. I have blurred vision and nausea. There is some kind of cut on the back of my head and I've split the stitches in my arm." Carson nodded and began pulling on gloves and got onto his comlink.

"Beckett to Infirmary, I need a stretcher to Doctor Keller's quarters stat," he said. He held her gaze again.

"I'm going to check that head wound okay?" he said to her. Jennifer nodded and then regretted it as the room swam again. She swayed alarmingly and Carson grabbed her. Jennifer opened her eyes and Carson smiled at her.

"Don't try to move ok?" he said. Jennifer managed a small smile and Carson checked the back of her head.

He glanced across at the other two men. Rodney was as white as a ghost, his tablet, that he had used to override the door, was hanging from his hand and he looked like he could do with a stretcher himself. John turned to Rodney.

"I thought you were going to check on her before you went to sleep?" he asked.

"I was but Jennifer was so tired when I left her I didn't want to wake her, and yes I am regretting that now!" he threw back at John.

"Do you two mind? I am perfectly capable of looking after myself thank you. I do **not** need being checked up on!" Jennifer's voice had an edge to it and both men looked at her. Carson captured her eyes again.

"I hate to say it love but there is evidence to the contrary here."

"I was doing fine until I fell and I wouldn't have fallen if I could put my hand out to stop myself," she said defensively.

"What did you fall over?" Carson asked her. Jennifer frowned.

"Actually I don't know. I don't remember the fall, just waking up on the floor,"

"That would be the concussion,"

"Well yes," Jennifer agreed. Carson directed his attention to John then.

"Colonel could you get me a dressing from the kit?" he asked. John grabbed the bag and got one out. He passed it to Carson and he placed it over the head wound. John passed him a bandage to go with it and Carson fixed the dressing in place. They were interrupted then by the arrival of the stretcher team. Jennifer started to protest when they went to lift her on the stretcher.

"Look I am ok. I can do it myself!" she told them but as she tried to stand the room dipped again.

Jennifer could hear voices. Rodney was shouting at someone and Carson's gentle tones where trying to calm him down. Colonel Sheppard was there as well. Shapes and colours were shifting in front of her but nothing was coming into focus. As she moved her head slowly the room suddenly went quiet. Carson spoke to her.

"Jennifer love. You're okay, you're in the infirmary. Do you think you can open your eyes?" Jennifer frowned_. I do have my eyes open don't I? Okay maybe not. That's probably why I can't see_. She opened them cautiously but immediately closed them again when a blinding light hit her. There was the sound of something moving and Carson spoke to her again.

"Is that better?" he asked. Jennifer slowly opened her eyes again and looked around. For some reason Colonel Sheppard had hold of Rodney. She looked into Carson's calm eyes and managed a smile.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her gently.

"Like maybe I have been here before and not that long ago!" she told him. Carson grinned.

"It looks like being with Rodney is rubbing off on you," he told her. Jennifer smiled and looked across at Rodney. John stepped away from him and Rodney came over to her. She frowned when she saw him.

"Are you ok?" she asked him. Rodney smiled down at her.

"Isn't it supposed to be me asking you that?"

"Well you look like you've just run a marathon," she said to him. John cleared his throat.

"That's because he has just gone ten rounds with me," he stepped over to the bed and smiled down at Jennifer. She looked back at him.

"Why?" she asked. Rodney looked uncomfortable and John grinned.

"He was being an idiot but I think he's over it now," he told her. Jennifer looked at Rodney again.

"Okay what did you do?" she asked him. He shifted and dropped his gaze. Carson laughed.

"Let's just say he wanted to pay a visit to the maintenance crew and we thought it would be better if he calmed down first," he told her.

Jennifer frowned. "What?" she asked. John filled her in.

"It looks like the reason you tripped was a wire had come loose from the wall and was lying next to the bed. I barely managed to stop Rodney from going down to maintenance. I think he would have taken out the whole section given half a chance," he told her.

Jennifer smiled gently at Rodney.

"It was an accident. It's not their fault a wire came loose. I should have been looking where I was going," she said gently. Rodney frowned.

"If they had done their job properly then it wouldn't have come down in the first place. It should have been channelled into the wall." John could tell he was getting worked up again and put a warning hand on his shoulder.

"Rodney! Jennifer is awake now. Surely you want to spend some time with her and not the maintenance crew?" he told him. Rodney stopped and looked first at John and then at Jennifer.

"Well yes of course," he said. John grinned and Carson looked towards Jennifer again.

"Well you've got yourself another night in the infirmary. I must say I preferred it when you worked here rather than being an occupant!" he winked at her.

"Yes, thank you, I would rather not be here either. I would rather be in my own bed," she said. Unfortunately she caught Rodney's eye at that moment and remembering an earlier comment about beds blushed again.

"Okay I think it's time we left you to get some rest. Rodney you can stay but not for long, Jennifer needs to get some sleep," Carson said.

Jennifer smiled at Carson as he and John left. Jennifer then looked at Rodney. She held out her hand and he grabbed it. He smiled at her.

"Since when have you been the accident prone one?" he asked.

"Well I wouldn't call what I did to my arm an accident and as for the second one it could have happened to anyone. I guess I am having a run of bad luck," she told him. Rodney's eyes clouded over for a moment but he shook it off quickly.

"I had better go," he told her. He gave her a quick smile and walked out the door. Jennifer looked puzzled. _What had that been about? _She called out to him.

"Rodney!" But he kept going. Jennifer looked after him in dismay. Somehow he was upset. Looking back over the conversation something belatedly dawned on her. Jennifer decided to ignore the fact the room was spinning again, and stood up. She knew that getting out of bed would not do her any good but everything in her wanted to go to Rodney and make him feel better. Her escape from the infirmary went unnoticed and she made her way towards Rodney's quarters. Jennifer refused to acknowledge the strange looks from the people she past but luckily there was hardly anyone around at that time of night. Waves of nausea hindered her progress down the corridors but finally she reached her destination. The hand she put up to wave over the console outside Rodney's door was shaking. The consol bleeped but nothing happened. _Okay_ _so maybe he's gone to his lab for some reason_. As Jennifer turned and headed back down the corridor towards Rodney's lab she heard her name over the city wide comlink.

"Doctor Keller, report to the infirmary immediately." She ignored it and kept going. When she rounded the door to the physics lab it was instantly clear that he was not there either. She took a deep breath. _This is getting silly; I am in no condition to keep walking the city. _Uncertainty hit her for a moment; the doctor in her shouting for her to get back to the infirmary but her heart telling her that she could not let Rodney keep blaming himself for what had happened to her. She thought for a moment. _Perhaps I should try the_ _control room_? _Well that was going to be fun; it would still be very busy even at this time of night_. Facing a lot of people was not her idea of a good plan. She looked back at the physics lab. _Maybe_ _Rodney had a spare comlink link in there. _Just as she got through the door she heard another city wide alert.

"If anyone knows the whereabouts of Doctor Keller please contact the control room." Jennifer frowned.

_That was Colonel Sheppard that time; I'd better let him know where I am before he has the whole city out looking for me._ Using the wall consol in the lab she contacted the control centre.

"Doctor Keller to control, I'm fine and in the physics lab." There was an ear wing lying on Rodney's desk and when she put it in, she suddenly had John's voice in her ear.

"Keller what are you doing?" he asked her.

"I'm looking for Rodney." John came back to her.

"Stay there, I'm coming to you. Don't go anywhere," he told her. Jennifer frowned, she didn't want to disobey him but equally she had to speak to Rodney. The ear wing activate again.

"Sheppard to McKay," Jennifer listened for Rodney's reply but there was just silence.

John, for his part, was getting sick of this. There was a good reason for the no fraternising rule in the military; relationships where a nightmare. He put a call out on the city wide.

"Sheppard to McKay, come in please."

Jennifer started walking away from the physics lab and towards the control room thinking that she would meet up with Colonel Sheppard on his way down to her. Her ear wing activated again causing her to stop. Rodney was talking to John.

"McKay to Sheppard," he said.

"McKay! Why are you off comlink?" John asked him.

"I left my link behind. I am in Jennifer's room fixing that cable," he said.

"Didn't you hear the city wide alerts?" John asked.

"I've only just got the comlink line back up and running again, it was that wire that had fallen." Jennifer smiled, _I never thought of looking in my own quarters_.

"Well Jennifer has gone AWOL from the infirmary and is looking for you," John told him.

"Where is she?" Rodney asked.

"When I last spoke to her she was in your physics lab. Do you think you could go get her back to the infirmary?"

"Yes. I am going now."

Luckily she was half way between the physics lab and her quarters. Carrying on up the corridor she rounded the corner to see Rodney walking towards her. Relief swept over her and she stopped and leaned against a nearby wall. Rodney hurried over to her.

"What are you doing?" he asked her frowning.

"I've upset you and I'm sorry. I didn't mean that any of this was your fault. I had to come to find you." Rodney looked intently at her, she was pale and shaking. He scooped her up into her arms and held her close.

Jennifer wrapped herself around him and held on. She pulled back slightly and looked up at him. He smiled at her.

"I'm sorry too. I guess I am rather oversensitive where you're concerned. Come on I need to get you back to the infirmary," he said. They both jumped when a voice spoke behind them.

"I think that would be rather a good idea." They turned to see John standing a little way from them. Jennifer smiled at him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to cause you any trouble. I had to see Rodney," she explained. John shook his head.

"Well get back to the infirmary, Carson is climbing the walls and I would like to get some sleep tonight," he told them. Rodney nodded.

"I'm taking her back now," he said. John turned and headed off. Rodney walked back to the infirmary with Jennifer in his arms. Jennifer was content to let him and was enjoying being that close to him.

As soon as Rodney got through the door to the infirmary he put Jennifer down and she turned to face the wrath of Carson.

He strode over to her.

"Jennifer! What the hell do you think you are playing at? You more than anyone should know you can't go wondering around with a concussion. Anything could have happened." Jennifer put her hand up to stop him.

"I'm okay! I had to go find Rodney." Carson glared at her.

"Don't be bloody stupid. You know what the side effects of a concussion can be. Now get back to bed and stay there or I will put a guard on your door!" he told her. Rodney smiled at Carson.

"No need. I have no intention of leaving her again tonight." Carson looked like he was going to argue with him for a moment but he thought better of it.

"Okay I'll get someone to put a spare bed in there," he said. Rodney helped Jennifer back to her room and into bed where she sank thankfully back against the pillows. When Rodney settled beside her on the bed Jennifer cuddled up to him and, for the second time in twenty-four hours, fell asleep on his shoulder.

Rodney watched her sleeping until he finally fell asleep himself. Carson came in a while later to check on Jennifer. He stopped in the doorway and smiled. Jennifer was cuddled in Rodney's arms and Rodney would be lucky if he could move his neck in the morning. Carson left happy to know that that there would be no more dramas for the pair of them and to cancel the spare bed.

Jennifer woke up the next morning to find Rodney gone. Disappointment washed over her for a moment until Carson walked in and smiled at her.

"You are looking better but what's with the frown?" he said to her.

"Sorry I am being silly." Carson walked over to her to check her chart.

"Missing a certain someone are we?" he teased her. Jennifer blushed and Carson laughed.

"The team had to go on a mission. They are due back tonight. If you continue to improve you will be out of here by then." Jennifer nodded.

"Now just behave yourself for the rest of the day and get some rest." Jennifer smiled at him and relaxed back against the pillows.

The day passed quickly and Jennifer was fit to leave. Linda had gone to her quarters to get her some clothes and she was dressed and ready to go. Carson appeared at the door.

"You ready to leave us again?" he asked her.

"Yes I am and I'm looking forward to getting back to normal!" she told him.

"I'm glad to hear it. You will have to take a few days off and I will need to check on your wounds over the next couple of days but I am sure you will be back to work with us again soon! I'll come with you and see you home," Carson said.

Jennifer entered her quarters and looked around. Everywhere was neat, tidy and clean. She smiled at Carson.

"Looks like the housework fairy has been in while I was away," she told him. He smiled.

"I believe you have Linda to thank for that," he told her. He settled her in. "Will you be ok now?" he asked her.

"I think so, I am sure Rodney will be around when he is back from his mission," she assured him.

"Well just take it easy for the first couple of days. I don't want you exerting yourself," he winked at her. Jennifer blushed.

"We haven't even kissed yet!" she scolded him. Carson smiled.

"I am sure it will work out okay." Carson headed out. Jennifer guessed Rodney would want to go get changed after the mission and then they would have their briefing so she did not expect to hear from him until after six.

At seven there was a buzz from her door. Her stomach turned over and she suddenly felt very shy and very nervous. She waved the door open and stood back slightly.

Rodney was standing in the doorway with a huge bunch of flowers, looking devastating in soft denim blue shirt and jeans. She smiled shyly at him. Rodney stepped inside and handed her the flowers.

"You don't know how good it is to see you out of the infirmary," he told her. Jennifer smiled again.

"It's good to be out. I know I work there but I would be glad if I never saw the place again. Well at least as a patient," she said meaningfully. Rodney laughed. The door buzzed again and this time it was John standing there. Jennifer smiled at him and he came in. He was also holding a bunch of flowers.

"Colonel Sheppard," she said.

"These are for you," he told her. "I'm glad you are okay and out of the infirmary." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and left. Jennifer was just wondering where she was going to put the second bunch of flowers when her door buzzed again. She threw an apologetic look at Rodney and opened the door to find Ronan standing there, also with a bunch of flowers. He handed the flowers to Jennifer.

"I'm glad you're okay," he said. She took them from him and smiled.

"Thank you Ronan. They're lovely," she told him. He nodded and left. Jennifer looked at all the flowers and laughed.

"Did you lot get a good deal on that planet or something?" she asked Rodney. He was saved from replying by Jennifer's door buzzer going again. Jennifer grinned at Rodney, who to his credit was taking it in his stride. She opened the door this time to see Teyla with a bunch of flowers. There were great friends so Jennifer felt it was okay to give into the laughter that was bubbling up inside her. Teyla smiled.

"I'm sorry but when I saw all the boys getting you flowers on the planet I couldn't resist," she told her. Jennifer grinned.

"They are beautiful but I don't suppose you have a spare vase or five laying around do you?" she asked her.

"I'm sorry I don't. Maybe the infirmary?" she asked. Jennifer shook her head.

"There is no way I am going anywhere near the place," she told her. Teyla laughed and hugged Jennifer.

"I am glad you are feeling better. Maybe you could join me for coffee later in the week?" she asked her. Jennifer nodded.

"I would like that," she said. Tyler smiled.

"Now I am going to spend some quality time with my son!" she grinned and exited the door. Jennifer turned to survey her quarters. They were filled with the flowers. She looked at Rodney and smiled.

"I need to find something to put all these in," she told him. Rodney grinned.

"Shall I nip down to the infirmary and get you some vases?" he asked her.

"Would you mind? I don't know what else to do with them!" she told him. Rodney nodded and headed out of the door.

Jennifer got to work with the flowers, carefully cutting and crushing the stems and arranging them into what she thought would be manageable piles. Rodney soon returned and he helped her too, not that he was any good at it but he wanted to get the damn things put away so he could spend some time with her. He had thought it cute when the team suggested they all get flowers for Jennifer off world but the reality of had not occurred to him! When they had finished Jennifer stood back and surveyed their handiwork. She grinned at Rodney.

"Well they certainly brighten up the place," she stated. Rodney smiled back at her.

"Yes they do. How are you anyway? " he asked her.

"I'm okay. My head is still a little sore and I am on stand down for a couple of days. I have to go for daily check-ups but otherwise I feel fine," she told him. He studied her and Jennifer dropped her gaze suddenly shy again. Rodney walked over to her and pulled her into a hug. He held her tight for a moment and whispered into her hair.

"Please don't do that to me again," he told her. Jennifer held him close and rested her head on his chest. She was enjoying being held by him and her body was reacting to the heat of his. She pulled away slightly to look up at him.

"I'll try not to. You know what this job is like; neither of us can promise that." He smiled down at her.

"No I guess not and I'm probably one of the most accident prone people on base," he told her. Jennifer grinned.

"Actually I think you are the most accident prone person on the base, I've read your file remember?" Rodney laughed and caught her eyes in his. He looked intently at her and bent to kiss her. It started out as a soft sweet kiss but as Jennifer parted her lips he deepened it. She was kissing him back and soon felt light headed. Rodney broke the kiss and looked at her again.

"I think maybe we should go for a walk or something. I don't think you are up to what I have in mind and I am not sure you are safe if we stay here." Jennifer caught his meaning and blushed. She smiled at him.

"What about a walk to the mess hall and a coffee?" She suggested.

The End

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**A/N: Thanks for reading and the reviews. I hope you enjoyed it.**


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